Identifying the Capability Gap for Theater Airlift in the Year 2020

The Army is undertaking a transformation effort to increase their strategic mobility and fill a capability gap. This transformation effort will culminate with the 2020 fielding of the Objective Force, whose operational doctrine will require theater airlift. The purpose of this paper was to determine what capability gaps exist between projected theater airlift capability and the 2020 airlift requirement. This is pertinent because the DoD is planning acquisition of a theater airlifter in the year 2019. To determine the requirement, inputs were collected from Army and Air Force doctrine as well as studying the future battlefield environment. From these subject areas, four critical performance requirements were highlighted: austere/unprepared landing zone operations, payload capability, cargo handling and survivability.